The interest of the picture is that compositional differences can be seen regarding the final work, allowing detailed knowledge of the artist's creative process, which is the intermediate step between the sketch and the finished canvas (below).

Transformation in marble Pink Portugal Estremoz using the ancient technique of “making points” | “messa a punti”. Through the “machine” for the outlet points | “macchinetta” (pantografo manuale per marmo).

His father was a rural doctor, and he was orphaned as a teenager. Under the sponsorship of several local nobles, he travelled to Madrid and entered the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, where he became one of the first students who received fellowships to the new "Academia Española de Bellas Artes de Roma". His initial success came in 1878 with his "Origin of the Roman Republic", which won First Prize at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes and Third Prize at the Exposition Universelle in Paris.

After becoming established in Madrid, he was chosen to do portraits of King Alfonso XII and Queen María. He also stood out as a painter of religious subjects. As the Assistant Manager on a project at the San Francisco el Grande Basilica, he participated in decorating the main cupola and was in charge of the paintings for the chapel of the Order of Carlos III. He was also involved in decorating the Palacio del Marqués de Linares and was one of the founding members of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.

In the summer of 1884, his fellow painter Tomás García Sampedro invited him to visit Muros del Nalón in Asturias. He was charmed by the area and continued to visit there every summer with other painters and students who formed what came to be known as the "Colonia de Muros", a group devoted to plein-air painting in the surrounding countryside.

Trevor Price, British painter and printmaker born in 1966, specialises in drypoints and etchings that are handmade and hand printed in his studios in London and St Ives.

He studied at Falmouth and Winchester Schools of Art and at the age of 28 was elected a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers and is currently the Vice President of the Society. Trevor exhibits widely throughout Europe, with regular solo shows of both paintings and original prints.

In 2011 at Printfest, which is North Britain's only annual art fair dedicated to printmaking, Trevor was the invited 'Printmaker of the Year'.

The artworks by Trevor usually represent the intimacy between a couple, sometimes romantic, sometimes erotic and often humorous.

Artistic influences include Pablo Picasso, Freda Kahlo, Ben Nicholson and Cecil Collins. Location can also be a big influence in the work, and his Cornish roots often feature.

Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shi’ning) was born in Milan in 1688. He studied painting in Italy with Carlo Cornara at the Botteghe Degli Stampator painting studio. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1707 and became a Jesuit Brother. As a missionary he had worked in Genoa and Lisbon; by 1715 he was sent to Macao, China by the European Catholic Church.

He ended up traveling to Beijing where his artistic ability impressed the Emperor who invited Castiglione to paint for him at his Court. During his time in China he adopted the Chinese name Lang Shi’ning. Castiglione ended up serving as imperial artist to the next three emperors as well: Kang Xi, Yong Zheng and Qian Long.

Castiglione painted in European style, but featured many Chinese themes. During his time in China, he designed the Western-Style Palaces in the imperial gardens of the Old Summer Palace. He stayed in Beijing until his death in 1766; he is buried in the European Missionary Graveyard in Beijing.

Due to Castiglione’s work, Chinese artists wrote the first book on western painting. He introduced Chinese artists to many western techniques and was known for his portraits and animals. Today, Castigliones paintings are on over 40 Chinese stamps. Most of Castigliones works are housed in museums in either Beijing or Taipei. In 2000, his work “Fields in the Autumn: was auctioned off for 17.6 million HK dollars.

After five years of study at the Art Institute A. Venturi in Modena, he moved to Florence, to the Academy of Fine Arts, Sculpture section. He has traveled and worked in different countries, France, Spain, Poland, England, Africa, Germany, specializing at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München. Recents works have evolved out of research in Neuroscience with a particular reflection on "Mirror's Neuron". Time, space, movement, expression and perception are basic themes of his last projects.

He began his artistic training at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Carlos, as a disciple of Francisco Martinez.

He traveled through Africa and Italy (Rome). He participated in several exhibitions, obtaining several prizes and awards.

He joined the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid, 1876, where he attended the workshop of Madrazo. In 1878 he was appointed Director of the School of Fine Arts of San Telmo in Malaga.

Ferrándiz paintings are widely spread across Spain, France, Italy and in private collections in other countries. Although most of its production is located abroad (Goupil Collection), there are thirteen of his works at the Museum of Málaga.

Eric William Ravilious, English painter, designer, book illustrator and wood engraver. He grew up in East Sussex, and is particularly known for his watercolours of the South Downs. He served as a war artist.

He was educated at Eastbourne Grammar School. In 1919 he won a scholarship to Eastbourne School of Art and in 1922 another to study at the Design School at the Royal College of Art. There he became close friends with Edward Bawden and, from 1924, studied under Paul Nash. Nash, an enthusiast for wood engraving, encouraged him in the technique, and was impressed enough by his work to propose him for membership of the Society of Wood Engravers in 1925, and helped him to get commissions.

Ravilious engraved more than 400 illustrations and drew over 40 lithographic designs for books and publications during his lifetime.

In February 1936, Ravilious held his second exhibition at the Zwemmer Gallery and again it was a success, with 28 out of the 36 paintings shown being sold. This exhibition also led to a commission from Wedgwood to for ceramic designs.

Apart from a brief experimentation with oils in 1930 – inspired by the works of Johan Zoffany – Ravilious painted almost entirely in watercolour.

Ravilious was accepted as a full-time salaried artist by the War Artists' Advisory Committee in December 1939.

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